What to change
Agree how important documents should open, then ask your supplier to make changes of tab or download behaviour understandable before visitors choose them.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A visitor knows that a leaflet opens separately, closes that view and returns to the original location page without repeatedly pressing an ineffective Back button.
Why this matters to your practice
A document may open in the current page, another tab or a download. Choose predictable behaviour and explain important changes of context where they occur. Ask your supplier to demonstrate representative leaflets on desktop and phone, including how the visitor returns afterwards. The aim is to avoid confusion when Back does not do what someone expected. Check documents linked from a form particularly carefully, so reading supporting information does not unexpectedly discard work already entered.
A practical review example
A leaflet may open in a separate tab, leaving a visitor pressing Back without returning to the practice page as expected. Ask your supplier to demonstrate the actual route on desktop and phone and explain any deliberate change of context. Then return and continue the original task. If the document was opened from a partly completed form, check that work remains as promised. Applying new-tab behaviour to every external link is not automatically helpful; choose the treatment around the visitor's real need to read and return.
How to check the result
Accept when opening and returning behave as communicated across supported browsers, with the original task preserved where relevant.
A mistake to avoid
Adding the same new-tab behaviour to every external link can create more interruptions than it resolves.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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